Canton Chapter of Antique Automobile Club of America Delivers!

Members of the Canton chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America brought some of their classic cars to Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties on Thursday, Sept. 15, to help our volunteers deliver meals to our clients in Massillon.

Clients were in for a surprise when their meals arrived in a 1948 Buick; a 1952 Ford Victoria; a 1953 Chevy Bel Aire convertible; a 1963 Chevy Impala convertible; a 1972 Olds Cutlass convertible; and a 1973 Chevy Caprice Classic convertible.

It was a fun day of memories for our volunteers and our clients! See the highlights condensed into two minutes in this video:

View a photo album of the morning on our Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties Facebook page.

Our Friends From the Massillon Target Store Lend a Hand

Our thanks to volunteers from the local Target department store for volunteering with Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties last week.

Seven Target associates delivered meals on Friday, Aug. 19. They arrived early to learn the details of our delivery process, then delivered meals to clients on three of the routes from our administrative office building in Massillon.

We appreciate the help and look forward to working more with Target in the future. It's great to know we can count on local businesses to help make a difference in the lives of our homebound friends and neighbors!

Kent Stark, Stark State Freshmen Volunteer As Part of Orientation Activities

For the third consecutive year, freshmen students from Kent State Stark are volunteering at Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties.

As with past years, it is part of a service learning project designed to help integrate the students into the local community.

This year, students from Stark State College of Technology, located adjacent to Kent State Stark, are also participating in the project. Students help assemble meals in the commissary, and then go out on our Massillon routes to deliver meals to clients.

So far student groups have volunteered on July 22 and 29, and will continue the following two Fridays as well.

Kent State Stark, located in Jackson Township, is the largest regional campus of Kent State University, serving 10,000 students annually -- more than half of those in academic coursework and the rest in professional development courses.

With approximately 15,000 students, Stark State College is the largest of five colleges and universities in Stark County, and is the sixth largest of Ohio’s 23 public two-year colleges in the University System of Ohio. The College offers more than 230 associate degrees, options, and one-year and career enhancement certificates.

Diebold Foundation Offers a Tip of the Cap to Our Volunteers!

The Diebold Foundation has stepped up to the plate again, this time to help us recognize the dedication of our volunteers. The foundation provided funding for our Volunteer Appreciation Day at the Meals On Wheels Fun Fest Challenge, Saturday, June 25, at Sluggers & Putters theme park in Canal Fulton.

From 12 noon to 6 p.m. that day, Meals On Wheels volunteers will be admitted free to the park to enjoy all activities, including miniature golf, go carts, bumper cars and more. It's our way of saying thanks for their hard work throughout the year.

"In past years we had an appreciation picnic on the lawn of our building in Massillon, but the big tent we used every year was damaged by wind, so we've been looking for another way to thank our volunteers," said Teresa Barry, CEO. "With the funding from the Diebold Foundation, we can now conduct our volunteer appreciation event during the Fun Fest in June."

A complimentary lunch will be available between 12 noon and 2 p.m. for those volunteers who RSVP by June 17.

The Meals On Wheels Fun Fest Challenge will feature a corporate challenge competition in the morning. Teams will participate in good-natured competition in five different activities before enjoying a picnic lunch afterward. The entire park will be opened to the public from 12 noon to 6 p.m., and admission for the afternoon will be just $10 for unlimited access to the park.

For complete information, see our full article about the subject: Join Us As Avalon Foodservice Presents 'The Meals On Wheels Fun Fest Challenge.'

Acknowledging Our Dedicated Volunteers During National Volunteer Week

Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties gratefully acknowledges the dedicated service of our volunteers, in honor of National Volunteer Week, April 10-16.

With more than 60 routes to cover daily, we depend on a volunteer staff that numbers well over 300. Included in that are people of various ages who volunteer on a regular basis, substitute drivers who help us when there's an immediate need, and corporate volunteer teams, who perform a valuable community service by delivering to clients near to their office or factory location.

Our volunteers not only deliver meals, they provide peace of mind for our clients and their loved ones by providing that daily check to make sure everyone, and everything, is OK. Often, our volunteers are the only people our clients see during the day.

On behalf of all of us at Meals On Wheels, we offer a big thank you to our volunteers for making a difference in the lives of our homebound neighbors.

There Are Thousands of Homebound Individuals in Stark & Wayne Counties; Help Us Help Them!

Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties delivers nutritious meals for homebound individuals five days a week. National census figures tell us there are a lot of people who need that service.

Based on the U.S. population, and calculated for the demographics of our two-county region, there are an estimated 6,000 homebound individuals in Stark and Wayne counties.

Part of our mission is to help those people remain independent and living in their own homes, rather than having to move to a nursing home or assisted living community. A key component of that is proper nutrition, and that's where we come in.

If you are homebound, or you know someone who is, please don't wait -- give us a call and let us show you how we can help. Our social services department assesses every inquiry on an individual basis. Delivery can usually begin within two business days.

If you're age 60 or older and can access transportation, you might enjoy our congregate dining program. Click here for a guide to the 14 sites where we offer congregate dining.

We also have need for volunteer drivers to help deliver meals to our clients. If you've been looking for a way to help in the community and make a difference in people's lives Meals On Wheels is the perfect opportunity.

Contact us at 330-832-7220, or online at www.mow-starkwayne.org.

Volunteers' Struggle with Gas Prices Highlighted in The Repository

Media coverage of the battle that Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties volunteers are waging with rising gas prices is ongoing.

The Repository, the largest metro newspaper in our two county area, included a full sidebar article on the topic in this morning's editions, accompanying a lead story about rising gas prices in general.

Reporter Diana Rossetti interviewed Tom Delamater, the agency's public relations administrator, earlier this week. "Retirees carry much of the load for Meals on Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties," she wrote, and pointed out that using as much as two or three gallons a week has affected enough volunteers to the point that five resigned last week alone.

Click here to access the main story on The Repository's web site. Look for the sidebar about Meals On Wheels in the gray column to the right of the screen.

Photo courtesy of The Repository

Massillon Independent Profiles Volunteer Drivers' Struggle With Higher Gas Prices

The Independent, the daily paper here in Massillon, ran a front-page story on Wednesday about the impact of higher gas prices on our volunteers and our agency.

"Meals On Wheels Hits a Bump In the Road" read the headline, and the story, by reporter Erin Pustay, featured interviews with volunteer John Vondriska and CEO Teresa Barry.

A sidebar featured three ways readers could lend a hand during these tougher economic times.

Click here to read the article at the Independent web site.

Photo courtesy of The Independent.

Video of the Channel 3 News Report About the Impact of Higher Gas Prices on Meals On Wheels

Eric Mansfield's report on the impact of higher gas prices on Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties aired Tuesday on WKYC's Channel 3 News in Cleveland.

The report features CEO Teresa Barry and volunteer Margaret Fowler.

Click below to watch the report. It is also available on the WKYC web site.

WKYC-Ch. 3 To Air Story On Impact of Rising Gas Prices on Meals On Wheels

Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties will be featured on tonight's evening newscasts on WKYC-Ch. 3, the NBC affiliate in Cleveland.

Reporter Eric Mansfield visited our agency today to interview CEO Teresa Barry about the effect that increased fuel prices have on agency operations. He also spoke to Margaret Fowler, who has been a volunteer for us for more than 20 years, about the impact of rising prices on our drivers.

Eric posted a written story on the WKYC web site early this afternoon. The report is scheduled to air on their 6 and 7 p.m. newscasts tonight and will later be available at wkyc.com.

Volunteers Needed Throughout Stark & Wayne Counties -- Can You Or Your Organization Help?

We always welcome new volunteers at Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties, but right now there's an even greater need than usual.

For some of our dedicated volunteers, rising gas prices make it difficult to keep helping. Some have already had to step aside, and others have indicated that they may have to do the same, especially if prices keep going up. Those hardest hit are retirees on a fixed income who simply can't afford prices that are 20, 30 or even 50 percent higher than they were just a few months ago.

That may seem like an unusual time to ask new people to volunteer, but we're doing just that. We provide more than 2,000 meals a day, five days a week, and our volunteers cover 64 routes in the two-county area.

If you're in a position to help, and can handle the cost involved despite the rising gas prices, we would welcome your participation. We offer mileage reimbursement, training, and provide a detailed route book that takes you stop-by-stop to each client's residence.

We also have a number of companies and organizations that help deliver routes once a week. Individuals sign up and then take turns driving their designated weekly route. The more people who sign up, the less frequently any one individual is asked to drive. It's an easy, yet effective, way for a company or organization to be involved in an important community service -- and it's a huge help to our clients.

Click on the image above for more information. You can also call 330-832-7220, or visit us online at http://www.mow-starkwayne.org/.

Call for Volunteers In the Alliance, Wooster Areas

Meals on Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties is seeking additional volunteers to help deliver meals to homebound individuals in Wooster and the surrounding area.

“We currently have a number of openings for volunteer drivers in the Alliance and Wooster areas,” said Teresa Barry, CEO. “Often our volunteers are the only people our clients see during the day, so the volunteers deliver more than just a meal when they visit. They also provide peace of mind and a friendly smile to those who are alone.”

Each weekday, we deliver about 100 meals on five routes in the Alliance area, and 120 meals on six routes in the Wooster area. Volunteer drivers typically deliver meals one day a week, and routes takes anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes to complete. The agency provides training and mileage reimbursement to all volunteers.

For information on how to volunteer, call Meals on Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties at 1-800-466-8010, or visit their Web site at http://www.mow-starkwayne.org/.

Photo courtesy of The Independent

NewsChannel5's Report On Meals On Wheels and Our Faithful Volunteers

Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties was in the news again on Thursday. Bob Seeley of NewsChannel5, the ABC television affiliate in Cleveland, filed this report for their Feb. 3 newscasts:

The Cleveland television stations provided exceptional coverage of this week's winter storm and its paralyzing effect on Stark County. We're grateful that Meals On Wheels was included in their reports on how our community dealt with the crisis.

NewsChannel5 Visits for Story on How We're Helping Clients Cope With the Winter Storms

Bob Seeley, long-time videographer for NewsChannel5 in Cleveland, visited Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties this morning to tape segments for a report on how we're helping our clients cope with the effects of the winter storm that hit Northeast Ohio this week.

Seeley shot footage of meal preparation in our commissary, and also interviewed CEO Teresa Barry and long-time volunteer Margaret Fowler.

He also accompanied Margaret as she delivered meals to clients in the Massillon area.

The report is scheduled to be on tonight's evening newscasts.

NewsChannel5, with the call letters WEWS-TV, is the oldest in the Cleveland market, having signed on in December 1947. Seeley has been with the station for 45 years, having joined them in 1966.

Winter 2011 Edition of Our Volunteer Bulletin

Here's the Winter 2011 edition of our volunteer bulletin, published earlier in January. Click on the image below for a larger version.

Here's the Fall Edition of Our Volunteer Bulletin

The latest issue of our volunteer bulletin has been published. Click on the image below to read the bulletin.

Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties Visits Two Community Events

Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties participated in two community events the week of September 13.

Linda Spielman, volunteer coordinator, represented the agency Sept. 14 at a volunteer fair sponsored by Mount Union University in Alliance. The event was attended by students, faculty and staff, and was designed to let members of the university community learn about volunteer service opportunities in the area.

Tom Delamater, public relations administrator, represented the agency Sept. 19 at a missions fair (above photo) sponsored by Bethany Mennonite Church in Hartville. About 250 members of the congregation enjoyed lunch in the church's gymnasium facility, and then toured the more than two dozen displays by organizations offering service opportunities locally, nationally and abroad.

Meals On Wheels was represented by a display board and an assortment of literature describing the agency, its programs, and volunteer opportunities.

Volunteering to deliver meals for Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties is easy! Call 330-832-7220 for more information or to get started.

You Can Make a Difference for Your Homebound Neighbors

Here at Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties, we're always in need of volunteers to help deliver meals to our homebound neighbors.

It's a great way to stay active and make a difference in the community. From the time they gather at one of our 21 locations in Stark and Wayne counties, to actually delivering the meals to our clients' homes, volunteers are interacting with people who enjoy their company and depend on their spirit of service.

As a volunteer, you'll typically help one day a week, and deliver the same route each time. That way, you'll become familiar with the streets and neighborhoods you travel, and get well acquainted with the clients on your route.

Arrival time is around 10:30 a.m., and deliveries begin at 10:45. Most routes take between 60 and 90 minutes to complete. We provide training for new volunteers, and mileage reimbursement is available.

It's important to note that our volunteers do more than just deliver meals. They offer warm smiles and peace of mind—for our clients, and their loved ones. Volunteers are often the only people our clients see during the day. If a client doesn't answer the door, or if our volunteer notices something else out of the ordinary when they arrive at the home, the volunteer is instructed to call our office to notify us.

We then attempt to call the client; if we're not able to reach them, we then contact a relative or neighbor that the client had previously designated, just to let them know. Following this simple procedure, some clients have been rescued from potentially catastrophic situations. In some cases, lives have been saved.

We believe passionately in the work we do and are proud of the dedicated service our volunteers provide every day. Can we count on you to lend a hand? Just call us at 330-832-7220 to become a part of the team. Or visit our website at http://www.mow-starkwayne.org/ for more information.

The Spring Edition of Our Volunteer Bulletin

We've published the latest Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties volunteer bulletin. Click on the image below to enlarge and read the Spring 2010 edition.

Meals On Wheels Returns to the Canal Fulton Area

Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties has a renewed presence in Canal Fulton and the surrounding area effective Monday, Feb. 1.

The agency returns to the community, delivering meals out of their location at St. John Lutheran Church on West Market Street. Vivian Heater is the site coordinator.

“We’re grateful to Pastor Nickodemus and the church council at St. John for providing facilities to support us in our mission,” said Teresa Barry, CEO.

Food is prepared weekday mornings at the agency’s commissary in Massillon. It is delivered via insulated trucks to 19 outlying sites for home delivery and congregate dining.

Volunteer drivers deliver the meals between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. The agency can accommodate less frequent deliveries, including once-a-week service, according to an individual’s preference and need.

A number of individuals in the Canal Fulton area already receive daily meal deliveries, and the agency expects that number to grow.

“Many people don’t realize that they qualify for meal delivery,” said Barry. “Our meals are available to any homebound individual, regardless of age or income. They can be contracted on a short-term or long-term basis, and we can begin service within two working days of receiving a request.”

“Our social services team works with individuals to provide a personal assessment of their nutritional needs,” said Barry. “In addition to people who are permanently homebound, individuals recuperating from illness or injury find the nutritional support provided by our meals to be a key ingredient to their recovery.”

Regular, low sodium and diabetic meals are available. “Anyone in need of specialized diets will find our meals appropriate as a source of nutrition for their daily needs,” said Barry.

The agency hopes to recruit additional volunteers to help deliver meals in Canal Fulton. “Our volunteers typically drive once a week,” said Barry. “Our Canal Fulton route currently takes about 60 minutes to complete.”

For information on how to begin home meal delivery, or to volunteer, call Meals on Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties at 330-832-7220, or visit their Web site at http://www.mow-starkwayne.org/.